If you have been paying attention to sports news recently you most likely will have heard about Michael Sam and the controversy surrounding him. If you haven’t here is what has been going on: last week, college football star and NFL prospect Michael Sam came out to the public as gay. As you might have guessed this was followed by mixed reactions. But if you’re like me you think that him being gay does not matter whatsoever. Many people took to Twitter to denounce the player like these two shining examples of humanity:
“michael sam is disgusting. I doubt he gets drafted, way to betray god!” @KingPaggi3
“I’m sorry but there’s is no room for Jason Collins & Michael Sam playing a man sport ain’t shit manly bout being a fag” @DewuanS
Now, horrible spelling and grammar aside, the arguments against a gay football player are pathetic. In fact, it shouldn’t matter that he is gay. Let’s first talk about how Michael Sam’s homosexuality is “betraying God.” In the Old Testament of the Bible there is a section known as Leviticus. In this section it clearly states what is a sin and how you should go about dealing with said sin. Many Christians today use Leviticus as their reasoning behind hating homosexuality. But that is the thing many Christians don’t understand, Leviticus also states that you cannot wear clothing of mixed cloth (Lev. 19:19) and yet homosexuality is still seen as the worst offender, but what is astonishing to me is that people forget that Leviticus was from the Old Testament and in the New Testament Jesus Christ forgives us of our sins. Even Romans (13:10) states “Love does no harm to it’s neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” So, wouldn’t that mean if we are gay we would be forgiven and everything would be fine right? Well for some reason, no.
All across America Michael Sam and other homosexuals are being treated as if they are pariahs. For what? Going against a religion that not all of them share, for doing something that is as natural as drinking water. But is there room for Michael to play in a game that is for “Manly” men only? Yes, there is plenty of room, he is probably the most manly Football player to date, why? Imagine playing football for your entire life, then playing throughout high school and college. Now you have the opportunity to become a member of the NFL. Now imagine that it could all be taken away because of something you had no control of. He is risking his dream so he will be able to do what he has worked his entire life for. In the end, football is about sacking the guy in front of you, scoring touchdowns, making field goals and being the best team in the whole country. The fact that you enjoy kissing someone of the same gender should not determine how hard you can hit.